What Every Pet Parent Should Know About Senior Dogs & Deafness

One area of canine deafness that doesn’t get as much attention is hearing loss among senior dogs. In the past, I too have neglected this important topic. Ironically, there are many more senior dog who have begun or have already lost their hearing than dogs who are born congenitally deaf. Okay, I have no hard data or studies to support this statement but it seems logical to me.

Over the past few months, I have been trying to correct my wrongs and have begun working on creating (and curating) more content to support pet parents of senior dogs so that they are better equipped to meet the challenges. One goal I’ve had in mind in all my efforts is to encourage pet parents of hearing dogs- no matter the age to begin to teach at least some basic hand signs now while your dog can still hear.

Below is a series of articles and blog posts I’ve written about this topic. Take together, this is a good introduction and overview of senior dogs and deafness. Feel free to leave a comment or drop me a note with any questions. I’ll do my best to get you the information that you need!

This article originally appeared on PetMD.com. To read the original, please go here.

There are many special things about the relationship between humans and dogs, but being by their side as they develop from puppy into senior dog is an especially meaningful one.

As puppies, they make us laugh as they clumsily learn to climb on the couch. As teenagers, they unapologetically turn our remote controls into chew toys. As adults, they settle into our rules, schedules, and moods.

Once they become senior dogs, we are blessed to have been given many years of wagging tails and unconditional love. This is also a time of more physical change; for both them and us.

As dogs age, they experience many of the same physiological changes as humans, including hearing loss, vision impairment and osteoarthritis among others.

Because I share my life with two deaf dogs, I am especially aware that my hearing dogs may one day lose their hearing. I am preparing for this possibility now by teaching them hand signs while they can still hear and I encourage others to do the same. Click here to continue reading...

Note from Bernard:My friend and fellow blogger Maggie Marton, with Oh My Dog!, has a senior dog named Emmett who has recently begun to lose his hearing due to advanced age. I am thrilled that Maggie agreed to share a bit of Emmett’s journey and her personal experiences adapting to the needs of a beloved dog who’s hearing just ain’t what it used to be. Welcome, Maggie!

I’m touched that Bernard asked me to tell Emmett’s story because, as he’s lost his hearing, Bernard’s blog has been my go-to resource. It’s an honor to share our experience.

In July of this year, Emmett turned 13. We didn’t find him at an animal shelter in Virginia until he was already about 3, and sometimes I feel like we were robbed of those early years… But, in truth, there is nothing in the world better than an old dog. Of course, there are a number of challenges, too, including age-related hearing loss.

So, last year, when we discovered that he was losing his hearing, I dove into learning as much as I could to help him navigate his new reality. Here’s what I learned and what I wish I knew before he lost his hearing. Click here to continue reading…

Dogs and humans have much more in common than most people think. Much like humans, as dogs age, they experience many of the same physiological changes as humans, including hearing loss, vision impairment, osteoarthritis and others.

Also like humans, when dogs begin to go deaf because of old age, it is usually a gradual process. This allows the dog to slowly adapt to incremental changes, reducing the likelihood that his hearing deficit is a traumatic or stressful experience. The honest truth? It is usually much harder for the pet parent than the dog! {{Maggie popping in here to say YES! It is! That’s a bit of what I wrote about when I got to contribute to Bernard’s amazing blog… which you can read HERE when you’re finished with this post!}}

I hear from pet parents all the time who feel guilty that they didn’t realize their dog was losing his hearing until the hearing loss was significant. They are struggling because they feel they failed their dog. They feel anxious because they have to learn a new way to communicate with their dog and they don’t know where to begin. Often times, these loving pet parents have been caught off-guard because they never even knew that dogs can be deaf.

These are all understandable and natural reactions. The good news is that living with a deaf dog isn’t harder, it’s different. By making a few simple changes to our lives and our routines, deaf dogs–and their pet parents–can live full, rich happy lives. Click here to continue reading…

The Graffiti Dog focuses on deaf dog awareness, training, nutrition, health, enrichment and education. I am a storyteller who incorporates photo of my deaf dog Edison with bright, colorful street art and graffiti to connect and engage with my readers. Read More About Me and The Graffiti Dog Here...